Archived: High Street Dental Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 13 September 2016 to ask the practice the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

Our findings were:

Are services safe?

We found that this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services effective?

We found that this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services caring?

We found that this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services responsive?

We found that this practice was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services well-led?

We found that this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

The practice is located on two floors of premises in Bedford town centre, although only the ground floor was used for patient services. The practice provides mostly NHS dental treatments, with approximately 95% of the treatment provided to NHS patients. There is pay and display car parking within the town centre and roadside car parking a little further out from the town centre. There are six treatment rooms, although only three were in use. These treatment rooms were all located on the ground floor.

The practice provides regulated dental services to both adults and children. Services provided include general dentistry, dental hygiene, crowns and bridges, and root canal treatment.

The practice’s opening hours are – Monday to Friday: 8:30 am to 5 pm, with the practice closed for lunch 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm. On Tuesdays and Thursdays the practice stays open until 7:15 pm. The practice is closed at weekends.

Access for urgent treatment outside of opening hours is by telephoning the practice and following the instructions on the answerphone message. Alternatively patients could telephone the NHS 111 telephone number.

The principal dentist is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the practice is run.

The practice is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an individual provider.

The practice has two dentists; four qualified dental nurses; one trainee dental nurse; and one receptionist.

We received positive feedback from 34 patients about the services provided. This was by speaking with patients and through comment cards left at the practice prior to the inspection.

Our key findings were:

• The premises were visibly clean and there were systems and processes in place to maintain the cleanliness.
• Records showed there were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of patients.
• Patients said they had no problem getting an appointment that suited their needs.
• Patients were able to access emergency treatment when they were in pain.
• Patients provided positive feedback about their experiences at the practice. Patients said they were treated with dignity and respect; and the dentist involved them in discussions about treatment options and answered questions.
• Patients’ confidentiality was protected.
• There were systems to record accidents, significant events and complaints, and where learning points were identified these were shared with staff.
• The records showed that apologies had been given for any concerns or upset that patients had experienced at the practice.
• The practice followed the relevant guidance from the Department of Health's: ‘Health Technical Memorandum 01-05 (HTM 01-05) for infection control with regard to cleaning and sterilizing dental instruments.
• There was a whistleblowing policy accessible to all staff, who were aware of procedures to follow if they had any concerns.
• The practice had the necessary equipment for staff to deal with medical emergencies, and staff had been trained how to use that equipment. This included an automated external defibrillator, oxygen and emergency medicines.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:

• Review the practice’s protocols for the use of rubber dam for root canal treatment giving due regard to guidelines issued by the British Endodontic Society

• Review its responsibilities to the needs of people with a disability and the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and consider installing a hearing induction loop to assist patients and visitors who used a hearing aid.